This application is based on and claims the benefit of German Patent Application No. 198 05 911.6 filed Feb. 13, 1998, which is incorporated by reference herein
The invention is based on a transition from a microstrip line to a waveguide as well as on the use of such a transition in accordance with the class of the independent claims.
DE 1 96 14 286 discloses a coupling arrangement for coupling a resonator to a connecting lead suitable, in particular, for use with very high frequencies. A flat dielectric substrate is thereby aligned with the substrate plane perpendicular to the wall surfaces of the resonator. The planar waveguides extending on the substrate, which are based on microstrip technology, are brought up to the substrate edge facing the wall surface. The waveguides are connected, for example, to an extremely high frequency circuit arrangement. The electric wave field of the waveguide forming between the two conductors of the waveguide couples directly onto the electric field of the resonator in the aperture openings. It is furthermore known from prior art to couple microstrip lines to antennas. The microstrip line is carried on a substrate and the energy is coupled into the radiating antenna via an aperture. The antenna is designed as a waveguide and is tuned by means of vapor deposited dielectric films. The energy is coupled into the antenna through the aperture milled into the base plate.
It is furthermore known to produce coaxial connections with the waveguide by means of coupling rods.
In all cases, tuning is the greatest problem in coupling microstrip lines to waveguides. Especially in the area of very high frequencies, the mechanical dimensions of the components are small and the adjustment by means of tuning screws required, for example, with the use of coupling rods, is costly. Tuning by means of fixed dielectric surfaces in the waveguide is also a costly process.
JP 09246816 (abstract) discloses a transition, which transmits the energy from the microstrip line to the waveguide by means of an aperture. The waveguide design is conventional.